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Summary Proverbs 28:

Follow the law. A leader with wisdom can keep order. Don’t take advantage of others. Confess your sins and you’ll find mercy. Hard workers are rewarded. Those who trust the Lord will prosper. Give to the poor, and you’ll lack nothing.

Summary Proverbs 29:

A wise man keeps himself under control. Evil doers hate men of integrity. Punishment teaches your wisdom. Blessed are law-keepers. The Lord administers justice. Don’t speak in haste. The humbled are honored.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 25, Day 4: Proverbs 28 and 29:

9) Personal Question. My answer: A leader must be just, listen to the truth, and judge fairly. This is more in the realm of my kids than anything. A leader has to gather all the facts before making a judgement and surround himself or herself with valued advisors, or a core group of Christian friends in our book.

10) Personal Question. My answer: Don’t take advantage of others to gain wealth. Hard work leads to wealth. Give to the poor, and you’ll lack nothing. Don’t be stingy. If you trust in the Lord, you’ll prosper. If you’re faithful, you’ll be blessed. I need to give more to worthy causes and to the poor and trust more in the Lord, so I’ll prosper. And I can be stingy at times.

11) Personal Question. My answer: The righteous are bold. The righteous thrive when the wicked perish. The righteous sing and rejoice and care about justice for the poor. The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright people. In essence, God will handle the wicked, so we don’t need to fret about them.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25 Day 4: Proverbs 28 and 29:

This lesson was a big “what did you learn” with no real tie back to Solomon’s reign where we left off, besides this is his advice. It was too much to take in, and I had a hard time doing so.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25, Day 4: Proverbs 28 and 29:

Commentary Proverbs 28:

Proverbs 28:1: The wicked, prompted by a guilty conscience or a fear of judgment, become fearful and suspicious of everyone.

Proverbs 28:2: Many rulers speak of how a large, complex, and multi-layered government can be a curse to a people.

Proverbs 28:3: There are poor who oppress the poor. Man’s nature doesn’t change just because of how much money you have in your pocket.

Proverbs 28:4: As the Apostle Paul would later explain in Romans 13:1-7, one reason God gives law and government to men is to restrain the wicked.

Proverbs 28:6: There are worse things than poverty, and to live without integrity is worse. We are defined more by our character than our bank account.

Proverbs 28:7: Just being a companion to a glutton makes you guilty as well. Choose your friends wisely.

Proverbs 28:9: God is not bound to hear or honor the one who neglects His word.

Proverbs 28:10: There are those who take pleasure in causing the godly to go astray.

Proverbs 28:11: There are some lessons only poverty can teach, and one should never forget those lessons, even if he or she becomes wealthy.

Proverbs 28:12: Examples of this include: Moses fled and hid himself from Pharaoh, David from Saul, Eliah from Ahab, Obadiah’s clients from Jezebel, Jeremiah from Jehoiakim, Joseph and the child Jesus from Herod.

Proverbs 28:13: Spurgeon describes the ways man attempts to hide his sin from God, all in vain:

With excuses and justifications.

With secrecy.

With lies.

With schemes to evade responsibility.

With time.

With tears.

With ceremonies or sacraments.

The path to receiving God’s mercy is to confess and repent (forsake) our sin. This is the way to prosper spiritual and in life in general and receive God’s mercy.

The Biblical practice of confessing sin can free us from the heavy burdens (spiritual and physical, as in James 5:16) of unresolved sin, and it can remove hindrances to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a tragedy when the confession of sin is neglected or ignored among believers, and a cause of much spiritual weakness and hypocrisy.

Proverbs 28:17: People need to suffer the consequences of their sin.

Proverbs 28:18: Under the Old Covenant, God’s blessing and protection was upon those who walk blamelessly.

The one who is twisted and crooked in his dealings can’t expect God’s blessing and protection. That crooked, twisted person should expect to suddenly fall one day.

Proverbs 28:20: Proverbs always rejects greed. The one who hastens to be rich is almost always willing to cheat or compromise to gain wealth.

Proverbs 28:21: Don’t bribe others.

Proverbs 28: 24: Examples of those who robbed parents in the Bible: Micah robbed mother of her gold; [Judges 17:2] as Rachel robbed her father of his gods; as Absalom robbed his father, David, of his crown.

“The language is strong. The word for ‘robs’ could be rendered ‘plunders.’ ‘Him who destroys’ is someone who causes havoc in society.” (Garrett)

Proverbs 28:26: Today’s society is always telling us to “follow our heart” instead of following God’s values, morals, and wisdom. We are a fool if we do. We need to look to the Lord, not ourselves.

Proverbs 28:28: “In the early ages of the Christian church, after the death of the persecuting Herod, the Word of God grew and multiplied.” (Bridges)

Commentary Proverbs 29:

Proverbs 29:1: As in many places in the Bible, the hard neck is used as a figure of speech to speak of the stubborn attitude that resists and disobeys God. This proverb speaks about the man who is often rebuked but doesn’t listen to the rebuke; instead he hardens his neck.

Proverbs 29:4: A nation can only expect strength and progress when it is ruled with justice. Bribes destroy the foundations of fairness and equality before the law, allowing the rich and devious to prosper.

Proverbs 29:5: A flatterer does not flatter to please you, but to deceive you and profit himself.

Proverbs 29:8: Mockers are so settled in their combative, cynical rejection of God and His wisdom that they may bring the judgment of God and fury of man against their own city.

Proverbs 29:11: Anger will destroy you before it destroys anyone else.

Proverbs 29:13: God gives some kind of light, some kind of revelation in creation and conscience, to every person (Romans 1:19-21). One may obey or reject God’s message in that light, but God gives light to the eyes of both.

Proverbs 29:14: John Trapp thought of how this pointed to the throne of Jesus Messiah, established forever: “Lo, such a prince shall sit firm upon his throne; his kingdom shall be bound to him with chains of adamant, as Dionysius dreamt that his was; he shall have the hearts of his subjects, which is the best life-guard, and God for his protection; for he is professedly the poor man’s patron, [Psalms 9:18-19] and makes heavy complaints of those that wrong them. [Isaiah 3:13-15; Isaiah 10:1-3; Amos 5:11-12; Amos 8:4-6; Zephaniah 3:12].”

Proverbs 29:15: We learn through correction.

Children who are never trained with loving correction often bring shame to their parents. “His mother, and father too; but he names only the mother, either because her indulgence oft spoils the child, or because children commonly stand in least awe of their mothers, and abuse the weakness of their sex, and tenderness of their natures.” (Poole)

Proverbs 29:18: The revelation in mind here is not the spontaneous word from a purported prophet. It is God’s great revelation, His revealed word through the Hebrew prophets and later the apostles and prophets who gave us the New Testament. When God’s word is unavailable or rejected, the people cast off restraint. They no longer have a standard greater than they own feelings or current opinions.

Proverbs 29:19: This refers to someone of menial service who has slave-like mentality that can’t be lifted above his or her present misery. That person is unlikely to be corrected by mere words. Tough life experience and discipline will be more likely to teach them.

Proverbs 29:20: Fools speak hastily.

Proverbs 29:21: The one who pampers his servant will make the servant so attached to him that he will end up with another obligation and another person who expects an inheritance.

Proverbs 29:24: To partner with a thief is to reject wisdom and embrace folly. The one who steals from others will steal from you, and perhaps with violence threatening your own life.

Proverbs 25-26: Many worry far too much about what people think, instead of first being concerned about what God and wisdom say, and what integrity would lead them to do. The ‘fear of man’ describes any situation in which one is anxious about not offending another person. We are called to do what is right. Saul, Aaron, and Peter are examples of men who were stained by the fear of man.

Proverbs 29:27: The righteous life is an unwelcome rebuke to the wicked.

“Here is the oldest, the most rooted, the most universal quarrel in the world. It was the first fruit of the Fall (Genesis 3:15). It has continued ever since and will last to the end of the world.” (Bridges)

“This proverb…serves as an apt summation of the whole Hezekiah text. Righteousness and immorality are mutually exclusive. One must follow one path or the other (Jeremiah 6:16).” (Garrett)

Summary of 1 Kings 4:29-34:

Solomon was wise, and people came from all over to hear his wisdom. He spoke proverbs and wrote songs. He knew of everything.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 24, Day 5: 1 Kings 4:29-34:

12) Part personal Question. My answer: God granted Solomon riches, wealth, honor, discernment, and wisdom. It’s all about God’s timing. When it’s right in your life, it will happen.

13) Personal Question. My answer: Solomon was wise in every way like God, and it appears it was used for good. God’s wisdom leads to a good life with good deeds and a heart for God’s ways. We use it for His glory and His good.

14) Part personal question. My answer; Solomon learned that with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. Wisdom is better than folly. Wisdom brightens a man’s face and changes its hard appearance. Sometimes it is better not to know than to know because once you know, you have no excuse not to act. We know about other countries and the atrocities that happen there. We know about the poor around the world and around ourselves. We know the need. Once you know, you must act. There is a bliss about ignorance and youth. You can live carefree. Not so when you know there is so much to be done.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 24, Day 5: 1 Kings 4:29-34:

Solomon’s wisdom

In the glory years of Solomon’s kingdom, he used the great wisdom God gave until he fell away from his devotion and worship of God (1 Kings 11:1-11).

Solomon became a prominent and famous man even among kings. In a strong sense, this is the fulfillment of the great promises to an obedient Israel described in Deuteronomy 28.

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. (Deuteronomy 28:1)

Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. (Deuteronomy 28:10)

In a sense, these blessings came upon Solomon more for David’s obedience than for his own. David was far more loyal and intimate with God than Solomon; yet God outwardly blessed Solomon more for David’s sake than He blessed David himself.

Solomon’s great wisdom – divinely inspired wisdom – makes up a considerable portion of the Book of Proverbs.

Solomon composed many songs but few psalms in the sense that David was the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Samuel 23:1). This goes back to Solomon’s inferior relationship to God (compared to his father David).

Solomon’s wisdom was not only applied to understanding life and human problems, but also to understanding the world around him. He had a divinely gifted intellect and ability to understand.

9) Part personal question. My answer: He divided Israel into 12 districts and divided up the tasks equally of providing for the king and the royal household. He trained and supervised those to help him rule his kingdom. He was wise. Solomon divided up responsibilities, which I think we all do in a family, and offered training, which is what parents do.

10) Everyone was able to enjoy the fruits of their labor in safety.

11) Part personal Question. My answer: You forget the Lord during peace and prosperity. It is He who gave you the ability to produce wealth. We may become prideful. Remember God in all that you do and that everything is from Him. Give Him the credit when you get promoted at work or do something good.

Commentary 1 Kings 4:1-28:

Solomon selected, trained, empowered, and supervised leaders. Solomon’s government was structured much like modern nations. He had officials who served as ministers or department secretaries over their specific areas of responsibility and were responsible for taxation. The districts were not strictly separated by tribal borders but often according to mountains, land, and region.

Taxes were paid in grain and livestock, which were used to support the royal court and the central government. Each governor was responsible for one month of the year — not overwhelming to any one district.

The reign of Solomon was a golden age for Israel as a kingdom. The population grew robustly, the nation and were were prosperous, allowing plenty of leisure time and pursuit of good pleasures. David did all the work. Israel’s neighbors were weak during this time as well, contributing to their good fortune.

Why so much food?

The amount of food was extravagant: some estimate that this much food every day could feed 15,000 to 36,000 people. It supplied considerably more than Solomon’s household, large as it was.

Fatted oxen are pen-fed cattle in contrast to open grazing varieties.

Solomon was gluttonous.

Each man under his vine and his fig tree: This was a proverbial expression for a time of peace and prosperity in Israel (Isaiah 36:16, Micah 4:4, Zechariah 3:10), indicating safety from both internal and external enemies.

Solomon’s horses

The famous stables of Solomon show what a vast cavalry he assembled for Israel. 2 Chronicles 9:25 is a parallel passage and has 4,000 chariots instead of 40,000 – the smaller number seems correct and the larger number is probably due to copyist error.

Solomon did not take God’s word as seriously as he should. In Deuteronomy 17:16, God spoke specifically to the future kings of Israel: But he shall not multiply horses for himself. One may argue if 20 or 100 horses violates the command to not multiply horses, certainly forty thousand stalls of horses is multiplying horses.

Each man according to his charge

Each man according to his charge: Spurgeon preached a sermon on this verse (which is lost in the NIV translation), focusing on the idea that we each have a charge to fulfill in the Kingdom of God, and we should be diligent to perform it and be expectant in being supplied for this duty.

“In Solomon’s court all his officers had a service to carry out, ‘every man according to his charge.’ It is exactly so in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we are truly his, he has called us to some work and office, and he wills us to discharge that office diligently. We are not to be gentlemen-at-ease, but men-at-arms; not loiterers, but laborers; not glittering spangles, but burning and shining lights.” (Spurgeon)

Solomon’s wisdom

In the glory years of Solomon’s kingdom, he used the great wisdom God gave until he fell away from his devotion and worship of God (1 Kings 11:1-11).

Solomon became a prominent and famous man even among kings. In a strong sense, this is the fulfillment of the great promises to an obedient Israel described in Deuteronomy 28.

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. (Deuteronomy 28:1)

Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. (Deuteronomy 28:10)

In a sense, these blessings came upon Solomon more for David’s obedience than for his own. David was far more loyal and intimate with God than Solomon; yet God outwardly blessed Solomon more for David’s sake than He blessed David himself.

Commentary 2 Chronicles 1:14-17:

When we think of Solomon’s great wealth, we also consider that he originally did not set his heart upon riches. He deliberately asked for wisdom to lead the people of God instead of riches or fame. God promised to also give Solomon riches and fame, and God fulfilled His promise.

Solomon gave an eloquent testimony to the vanity of riches as the preacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes. He powerfully showed that there was no ultimate satisfaction through materialism — a lesson we all should take to heart. We don’t have to be as rich as Solomon to learn the same lesson.

Solomon presided over a prosperous and wealthy kingdom. Yet the Chronicler is also warning us here. He assumes that we know of the instructions for future kings of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. He assumes we know verse 17 of that passage, which says: nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. God blessed Solomon with great riches, but Solomon allowed that blessing to turn into a danger because he disobediently multiplied silver and gold for himself.

Keveh (also known as Cilicia) was “in what is now southern Turkey, at the east end of the Mediterranean, was a prime ancient supplier of horses.” (Payne)

Steps in Solomon’s downfall

Solomon disobeyed by multiplying horses for the service of his kingdom and he obtains them from the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:26, 10:28-29).

Summary of 1 Kings 3:5-28:

God appears to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream and told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted. Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern the Israelites by. God not only gives Solomon a discerning heart for asking for something so noble but also gives him what he doesn’t ask for: riches and honor like no other. If Solomon obeys God, he will have a long life as well. Solomon returns to Jerusalem and makes fellowship offerings at the ark of the covenant.

Two prostitutes came before the king, arguing over the baby. One claims the other stole her baby because hers died in the night. Solomon decides to cut the baby in two to solve the dispute. The real mother does not want her baby to die and when she says so, Solomon knows which is the real mother. Here we see the gift of wisdom in action.

Summary of 2 Chronicles 1:7-13:

Solomon asks for wisdom and knowledge to govern God’s great people by. God granted Solomon’s request, plus added on riches, honor, and wealth. Solomon returned to Jerusalem and reigned over Israel.

Summary of Proverbs 1:

Solomon lays out the reasons for the book of Proverbs, including to be wise, to have understanding, to be prudent, and to fear the Lord. Solomon says to listen to your parents, to ignore sinners, and to be wise and listen to him, so you will learn about life.

6) Solomon is very humble. He starts by stating God’s greatness of being kind to his father, David. He praises God in this and for this (saying God is faithful, righteous, upright in heart, and kind). He says how he’s not qualified to lead his people but wants to be. Solomon is humble and wants to follow God. He loves God.

7) God not only gives Solomon what he asks for because he asked for a gift not for himself, but God gives Solomon even more — what he doesn’t ask for. God wants to bless us if we follow Him.

8 ) Part personal Question. My answer: Listen to your parents. Ignore sinners. Accept wisdom and prudent advice and fear the Lord. Read more. Learn more. Pray more. Always be learning and seeking and taking advice from those who are close to God. Pray for discernment.

If we put others first and do for others, God will reward us and give us what we do not ask for. It all comes down to obedience and having God first in your heart. He knows your desires, and all He wants to do is give them to you.

As a mother, this is one of my favorite stories in all of the Bible because it is so true. I love reading this story every time.

Commentary 1 Kings 3:5-28:

God seemed to offer Solomon whatever he wanted. This wasn’t only because Solomon sacrificed 1,000 animals; it was because his heart was surrendered to God, and God wanted to work something in Solomon through this offer and his response.

We have the same offer:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14)

Solomon asked for more than great knowledge; he wanted understanding, and he wanted it in his heart, not merely in his head. The ancient Hebrew word translated understanding is literally, “hearing.” Solomon wanted a hearing heart, one that would listen to God.

Lessons learned from Solomon’s request:

Solomon experienced God’s ability to do far beyond all that we ask or think.

What we are is more important than what we have.

Many scholars believe Solomon wasted his gift from God since he turned away from God in the end (1 Kings 11:4-11). Many believe he could have accomplished so much more. However, what he did accomplish was far more than that average human. Judging Solomon is not our job, and if you are tempted to do so, then examine your own heart first.

Solomon and the baby

The problem with the baby seemed impossible to solve; it was one woman’s word against another’s with no witnesses.

Solomon’s solution seemed strange. The works – even the judgments – of God often first seem strange, dangerous, or even foolish. Time shows them to be perfect wisdom.

Commentary 2 Chronicles 1:7-13:

“God’s answer to Solomon’s request was a beautiful instance of the overflowing love and grace of the divine heart. All the things Solomon set aside for the sake of wisdom were also given to him.” (Morgan)

Commentary Proverbs 1:

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of practical life wisdom given mostly in short, memorable statements. Though part of a larger body of wisdom literature that includes Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs is unique.

The book of Proverbs is mostly a collection of individual statements without much context or organization by topic.

The book of Proverbs is unique in its theology, being concerned with practical life wisdom more than ideas about God and His work of salvation.

Proverbs is also unique in its connection with the secular literature of its time. Neighboring kingdoms had their own collections of wisdom literature, and in some places, there are significant similarities to these writings.

There are several sections of Proverbs (22:17-23:14, 22:23, 22:26-27 are examples) that seem to be borrowed from The Teaching of Amenemope, an ancient Egyptian writing. There is debate as to whom borrowed whom, but most scholars believe Amenemope is earlier.

Proverbs teach wisdom

Proverbs teach wisdom through short points and principles but should not be regarded as “laws” or even universal promises.

“Proverbs are wonderfully successful at being what they are: proverbs. They are not failed prophecies or systematic theologies. Proverbs by design lays out pointed observations, meant to be memorized and pondered, not always intended to be applied ‘across the board’ to every situation without qualification.” (Phillips)

He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:32-34)

There are a few other authors specifically mentioned for the book of Proverbs. Solomon may have collected all these other proverbs and set them in his book — scholars are unsure.

“The book tells us that it is the work of several authors. Three of these are named (Solomon, Agur and Lemuel), others are mentioned collectively as ‘Wise Men’, and at least one section of the book (the last) is anonymous.” (Kidner)

Purpose of book of Proverbs

The book of Proverbs is to give the attentive reader wisdom, instruction, perception, and understanding.

Knowledge and wisdom are different. Knowledge is the collection of facts; wisdom is the right use of what we know for daily living.

“It is probably a safe bet to say that most people today are not much interested in wisdom. They are interested in making money and in having a good time. Some are interested in knowing something, in getting an education. Almost everyone wants to be well liked. But wisdom? The pursuit of wisdom is not a popular ideal.” (Boice on Psalm 111

Simple means gullible

Simple: “The word indicates the person whose mind is dangerously open. He is gullible, he is naïve. He may have opinions, but he lacks deeply thought-through and field-tested convictions.” (Phillips)

True knowledge and wisdom flow from the fear of the LORD.

God should be regarded with respect, reverence, and awe. This proper attitude of the creature toward the Creator is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

The instruction and law given from parent to child will adorn the life of their children, if they will only receive it.

Warning to choose friends wisely

Significantly, this first instruction and warning in the book of Proverbs speaks to the company we keep and the friendships we make. There are few more powerful forces and influences upon our life than the friends we choose. It has been said, show me your friends and I can see your future. It speaks to the great need for God’s people to be more careful and wise in their choice of friends.

Stay away from the wicked and all their plotting.

Tragically, Solomon’s company with sinners – in the form of his wives given to idolatry – became a trap he himself was caught in.

“The greatest tragedy is that there’s so much noise that people can’t hear the things they really need to hear. God is trying to get through to them with the voice of wisdom, but all they hear are the confused communications clutter, foolish voices that lead them farther away from the truth.” (Wiersbe)

The problem with these simple ones was that they loved their simplicity. They preferred their foolish ignorance than the effort and correction required by the love and pursuit of wisdom.

The end result of this love of foolishness and scorn will be death (will slay them) and destruction (will destroy them).

“The eleven other occurrences of turning away are all in Hosea or Jeremiah, always with reference to Israel’s apostasy, faithlessness, and backsliding from God and from the Mosaic covenant.” (Waltke)

Summary of 1 Kings 3:1-4:

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh of Egypt and married his daughter. Both himself and the Israelites were sacrificing to other gods, but Solomon was following God’s laws. He went to Gibeon to sacrifice to the Lord.

Summary of 2 Chronicles 1:1-6:

God was with Solomon and made him great. He spoke to all of Israel and went to Gibeon to sacrifice to the Lord.

Summary of Deuteronomy 17:16-20:

The Lord commanded the future kings of Israel not to return to Egypt and not to accumulate horses, not to take many wives, or accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. He must write a copy of God’s law and keep it with him and read it every day so the king can know God’s law and obey it with a humble attitude. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time.

3) Solomon disobeyed most of them. He obviously went to Egypt since he married an Egyptian princess. He took many wives. He was extremely wealthy.

4) Submissive attitudes and tolerance towards sins that show others that sin is okay and even permitted.

5) Part personal Question. My answer: Having the king write a copy of God’s law and keep it with him and read it every day so the king can know God’s law and obey it. This is important for all of us. We can’t obey God’s law if we don’t know God’s law. We shouldn’t consider ourselves better than our brothers either for we are all sinners. God’s law (the Bible) is our guidebook for living. It keeps us from sin and the devil. I’ve been protected many times every day by it and blessed in this life.

Solomon is a great example of someone who loves God but chooses to disobey and justify these sins. He picks and chooses which parts of God’s law to follow. Ultimately, as good of a king as he was, it is his downfall.

Commentary 1 Kings 3:1-4:

Solomon’s bad example of marrying foreign wives

Marriage to fellow royalty was a common political strategy in the ancient world, and continues to the modern age. It was not only because royalty wanted to marry other royalty, but also because conflict between nations was then avoided for the sake of family ties.

This was not Solomon’s first marriage. 1 Kings 14:21 tells us that his son Rehoboam came to the throne when he was 41 years old, and 1 Kings 11:42 tells us that Solomon reigned 40 years. This means that Rehoboam was born to his mother, a wife of Solomon named Naamah the Amonitess, before he came to the throne and before he married this daughter of Pharaoh.

Solomon’s multiple marriages and marriages to foreign women would cause great disaster in his life and went directly against God’s word. Later in the Book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah was angry and frustrated because the people of Israel married with the pagan nations around them. In rebuking the guilty, Nehemiah remembered Solomon’s bad example (Nehemiah 13:25-27).

The foreign wives made Solomon more than a bad example – they ruined his spiritual life. (1 Kings 11:1-4).

1 Kings 11:4 says this Solomon only turned away from God as he got older, but the pattern was set with this first marriage to the Egyptian princess. It perhaps made political sense, but not spiritual sense.

2 Samuel 3:3 tells us that David married the daughter of a foreign king: Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. Marrying a foreign woman was not against the Law of Moses – if she became a convert to the God of Israel. What did not ruin David did ruin Solomon.

At this time, altars were allowed in Israel at various high places, as long as those altars were unto the LORD and not corrupted by idolatry (as commanded in Deuteronomy 16:21). When the temple was built, sacrifice was then centralized at the temple.

With the sacrifices, we see Solomon’s great wealth and his heart to use it to glorify God.

As we see in 2 Chronicles 1:2-3, the entire leadership of the nation went with Solomon to Gibeon, which was the great high place. The tabernacle was a Gibeon and the ark of the covenant was in Jerusalem.

The journey of the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant in the Promised Land

Why did David not bring the tabernacle from Gibeon to Jerusalem?

He may have believed if the tabernacle were in Jerusalem, the people would be satisfied with the simple tabernacle instead of having the temple God wanted built.

It may be that the tabernacle was only moved when it was absolutely necessary – as when disaster came upon it at Shiloh or Nob.

David simply focused on building the temple, not continuing the tabernacle.

Commentary 2 Chronicles 1:1-6:

This bronze altar was the same altar made in the wilderness between Egypt and the Promised Land (Exodus 36:1-2). This altar was at least 500 years old and had received many sacrifices over Israel’s long history since the Exodus.

Solomon and the people of God sought the LORD at the place of atoning sacrifice. This was the Old Testament equivalent to “coming to the cross” in seeking God.

This was an important event marking the “ceremonial” beginning of Solomon’s reign. Solomon wanted to demonstrate from the beginning that he would seek God and lead the kingdom to do so.

Commentary Deuteronomy 17:16-20:

Commands to the future king of Israel

The king of Israel must not put undue trust in military might.

The future king of Israel must not put undue emphasis on physical indulgence and personal status.

The future king of Israel must not put undue emphasis on personal wealth.

Each of these issues is a matter of balance. The king had to have some military power, but not too much; one wife and certain comforts, but not too much; some personal wealth, but not too much. Such balances are often the hardest to keep.

Solomon was a notorious breaker of these commands. He had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots (1 Kings 4:26), and Solomon had horses imported from Egypt (1 Kings 10:28). He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart (1 Kings 11:3). He surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches (1 Kings 10:23).

Solomon knows the commands of Deuteronomy 17, yet deceives himself by asking the self-justifying questions, “How much is ‘multiply’?” It might seem self-evident that 700 wives and 300 concubines is multiplying wives to yourself, but one should never underestimate the ability of the human heart to deceive itself in such situations.

How modern Christians fall today

These are universal stumbling points; hence God’s commands not to do them: power, pleasure, or money. God’s commands for leaders have not changed; and neither has the need to be on guard against the self-deception in these things which felled Solomon.

The king of Israel himself was supposed to labor over parchment with a pen, making a personal copy of the law of Israel. This shows how greatly God wanted the word of God to be on the hearts of His rulers; God wanted every king to also be a scribe.

FUN FACT: “Incidentally, the phrase a copy of this law appears incorrectly in the LXX as ‘this second law’, to deuteronomion touto. It was this misunderstanding that gave rise to the English name Deuteronomy.” (Thompson)

Staying in God’s Word

The word of God was to be constant companion of the king of Israel, and something he read every day.

All need the word of God; but the greater our responsibilities, the greater our need to depend on the truth of God’s word.

Staying in the word of God was intended to build a reverence for God and a holy life in the king.

It is striking to consider that reading a book – the Great Book, the Bible – can keep a person from sin. We may not understand all the spiritual work behind the word of God, but staying in the word will keep one from sin. It has been well written in many Bibles: “This book will keep you from sin. Sin will keep you from this book.”

Luther said he would rather live in hell with the Bible than to live in Paradise without the Bible.

Staying in the word of God would keep the king properly humble and help him to not think of himself as above those he ruled over.

Summary of 2 Samuel 12:24-31:

David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, after their son died. She bore David another son named Solomon, whom the Lord loved and renamed Jedidiah (loved by the Lord). Joab continued the fight against the Ammonites. He requested help from David who captured Rabbah. David turned the Ammonites into slaves and then returned to Jerusalem.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 20, Day 5: 2 Samuel 12:24-31:

13) He blessed David with another son, Solomon, whom He loved. He gave David victory finally over the Ammonites.

14) Nathan delivered a message from God that God loved Solomon and Joab told David if he didn’t come, he’d conquer Rabbah himself and name the city after him. Both elicited responses from David in the positive. Nathan helped reassure David that God was still with him. Joab, by threatening David by taking his glory, got David to take action. Nathan encouraged David. Joab prompted David.

15) Personal Question. My answer: God has graced everything about my life and continues to grace everything about my life. He has forgiven me and prompted me to take action. He’s helped me be a better person to all. I need to extend grace to all around me.

Good lesson on God’s redemption and blessings once you confess and accept God’s forgiveness in your life.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 20, Day 5: 2 Samuel 12:24-31:

FUN FACT: This is the first time the Biblical writer called this woman Bathsheba except for the mere reporting of her name in 2 Samuel 11:3. Each time before this she is called the wife of Uriah. Only now, after the chastisement for sin, is she called Bathsheba his wife.

God did not command David forsake or leave Bathsheba, even though his marriage to her was originally sinful. He was to honor God in the marriage commitment he made.

Paul commands the same principle in 1 Corinthians 7:17: As the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. In part, this principle in context warns us against trying to undo the past in regard to relationships.

Why does God choose Solomon to be an ancestor of Jesus?

God chose this son among David’s many sons to be heir to the throne and the ancestor of the Messiah to demonstrate the truth that God forgives repentant sinners.

Joab struggled for more than a year to conquer Rabbah, and the victory only came when David got things right with God. There was an unseen spiritual reason behind the lack of victory at Rabbah.

David is restored

This was the final phase of David’s restoration. He went back to doing what he should have done all along – leading Israel out to battle, instead of remaining in Jerusalem.

David was in victory once again. His sin did not condemn him to a life of failure and defeat. There was chastisement for David’s sin, but it did not mean that his life was ruined.

David’s sin didn’t take away his crown. Had David refused the voice of Nathan the Prophet and didn’t confess and repent it might have.